Between the Lines
by Yorkes
Summary: In which Caroline Forbes is an actress who isn't thrilled about spending so much time with her newest co-star, and Hollywood royalty, Klaus Mikaelson.
1. Chapter 1

Caroline Forbes wasn't sure exactly how many times she'd been in this exact situation before, hands in Klaus Mikaelson's hair, legs wrapped around his waist, and sweet nothings being whispered into her ear. She was pretty sure her lip stain needed to be reapplied, and that she'd left marks in his necks from her nails. She didn't know the total tally but she knew how many times that day, fourteen going on fifteen. Unless you counted the times where they'd been interrupted before things could develop anything more than a few heated kisses. Then you'd probably have to make that number a bit higher.

"CUT," a loud and shrieking voice called out, and Caroline had to give him props. They'd been working for almost six hours on the same scene and his voice didn't seem to diminish. She untangled her legs from her co-star and then ran a hand over her hair to make sure it hadn't gotten to messy. She didn't want to add yet another take to the many ones just because her curls weren't spot on. She wasn't complaining about it though, she learned her lesson years ago when she lashed out at the director for telling her that her faking crying looked unrealistic, and making her redo the scene over and over. She remembered the absolute hell she'd been given by her publicist, and wasn't going to relive that again.

Not that she'd lash out at the current director coming over to her. Lashing out at him would be like lashing out at her baby brother for trying to get his school project right when she was the one messing it up.

"What's my fault this time, Stefan?" Caroline asked teasingly, as her long time friend and current director appeared just before Klaus and her. Stefan Salvatore gave her a smile in return, but he didn't tease back. It was late and everyone was tired, so she got it. She'd be sick of watching her make out with Klaus if she were in any of the crewmember's shoes.

She was sure Stefan wasn't thrilled he was witnessing it as well. Of all episodes he was asked to direct, he got the one of the more graphic scenes. They became friends in elementary school when Stefan's older brother Damon, who was in junior high at the time, decided having his kid brother hanging around wasn't cool. Since that fateful day in Mrs. Steven's class the two were inseparable. It was only fitting that many years later the two of them would want to pursue careers in the same city, where they paths were sure to cross more than once.

"We just need a little bit more emotion from the two of you," he told them, and Caroline could see how tired he was. She could also see it wasn't just from the shoot. She also doubted that she didn't need her extensive knowledge of everything Stefan Salvatore to know that something was wrong. Hell, she was pretty sure the extras from earlier that day could tell. "James almost died," he informed her, and then he turned to Klaus, reminding him of Caroline's character Norah's recent predicament. Then, raising his voice so everyone could hear he added, "Just a few more good takes and then it'll be a wrap."

He said the same thing five takes before, but she didn't point that out. Stefan was given the opportunity to direct for the penultimate episode for the fourth season of _Paranormal_, and as someone somewhat inexperienced in his line of work it was a pretty big deal. He'd worked on the show several times before, and he always aimed for perfection, even though the ones he'd directed before weren't as important.

So just Caroline nodded and gave Stefan a reassuring smile. It was a make out scene; she wasn't going to get her feathers ruffled over not being perfect while smashing her lips against another pair of lips. She snuck a glance at Klaus, the owner of said other lips, to see he'd have a reaction, but he just nodded. Unlike her, Klaus had a tendency to get his ruffle his feathers over anything and everything. In the few months since Klaus had joined the cast of the show _Paranormal_ he'd gotten in more fights with the crew, as well as cast, than anyone other actor on the show since it started.

Not that anyone really called him out on it. He was practically Hollywood royalty. Esther Mikaelson and the late Mikael Mikaelson were both famous in their own respect, and their children had gained their fame at birth. As they grew older, and made a name for themselves, the limelight followed.

Klaus, according to most sources, Caroline included, was a bit of an asshole. And as a quick web search would confirm he'd been like back when he went by his full name, Niklaus. Although brat would probably have been a better way to phrase it back then. She'd never been on the other side of one of his rants, but they shared so many scenes that she'd had a front row seat for more than a few.

Despite his many failing he was a great actor though, and that combined with his heritage, and the fans of his that were slotted to start watching the show for him, made it very hard to call him out whenever he started his petty fights.

"Just some more passion, and then I think we'll have it," Stefan told the pair, and he went back behind the camera. Caroline turned toward Klaus, told herself to look alive, and then went back to what she'd been doing for a good portion of the day. Hands in her co-star's hair and her tank top's straps falling from her shoulders.

* * *

The following morning when Caroline woke up she was greeted by a long email from her publicist, Katherine Pierce. During filming Caroline's mornings were never very eventful, she got up and ate something quickly, threw on something comfortable, and then went to work. The one thing she was expected to do was reply to all of Katherine's emails, and the answer was never no. It was always, without a question, yes.

The latest one consisted of just a portion of the many things she'd be doing during one of the major promotion for _Paranormal_'s season four. She saw the ever present full and partial cast appearances, and her single interviews, but there were a slew of different set ups that took her back.

Caroline opened up her messages and scrolled down to a recent conversation with Katherine, sending her a short message, phrased as a question. The blonde waited for her phone to ring, bringing up a photo of Katherine from previous Halloween along with the options to accept to decline. As the thought left her mind the familiar face illuminated on her phone. She had been a vampire, although her costume was more slimming black clothing than blood and horror.

"Why do you even bother to text me questions? You know how I feel as miscommunication," the sharp voice, belonging to her publicist, asked. There was nothing quite like the bitterness of her voice that was able to wake a girl up so well.

"Because one day I figure you'll be too busy to converse me with little old me," Caroline replied swinging out from her bed and forcing herself to wake up.

"It's six in the morning, what should I be so busy with?" she asked, and Caroline hummed in reply. "I'm intimate with many things, but my work remains my true love," she added.

"I was implying a situation more related to sacrificing kittens to get your new clients jobs," her client who happily considered herself old added. Katherine was one of the best, and if she hadn't seen potential within the small town blonde, then Caroline probably would probably be back in that small town.

"I'm offended you think I sacrifice defenseless animals to deities," Katherine replied. Caroline grinned, fishing a pair of shorts out from her closet along with a well-loved sweatshirt emblazoned with her old high school logo. Normally she would make an attempt to look at least somewhat cute, but it was one of those days. She set her phone to speaker and placed it on her dresser as she threw on her lackluster choices. Not that it mattered, she'd change when she got to the set anyway.

"I never said anything about deities," she retorted a small laugh escaping from her.

"It was implied." Caroline heard a rustling of papers within the pause of silence that the woman offered, and she then that their short-lived banter had died out. It was time for work, which the publicist was apparently had a love affair with. "Anyway," Katherine replied, "in response to what I assume was a passive aggressive text… yes, Klaus as in Mikaelson."

"I get that, but why? I never had this many interviews with-," Caroline took a pause for herself, still not wanting to say his name. "I never had this many interviews with Norah's old love interest," she restated, picking up her phone and carrying it with her as she went into the kitchen.

"All I know is that the show was adamant we got you play up the romance in the next season. Something about the mourning period is over, and it's been a season since Norah got any… stuff like that," she tried explained, although she very much doubted it the people in charge of promoting the show used the phrase, 'it's been a since Norah got any.'

"So they're shoving the new romance down people's throats?" Caroline asked, not sure if that was the best strategy.

"I never say it was a good idea, I simply am telling you what I've been told," her ever supportive friend added. "They want to show you have chemistry I think."

"I've barely talked to the guy out of rehearsals and filming, I doubt our supposed chemistry is going to make anyone want to see more. I'm not very certain it exists," Caroline admitted.

"Well make an effort, I'm talking to Caroline Forbes aren't I? The first thing you said to me was something along the lines of 'Hi, I'm Caroline Forbes and I'm going to make you rich'. You're not exactly shy," she said. Caroline almost cringed at the memory. She wouldn't deny that she was outgoing, but she also regretted those specific words. Even if they had helped her get to where she wanted to be.

"And that applies to this situation because?" she asked, grabbing her keys from the little bowl she kept them in.

"Just talk to him, so the joint interviews won't be to awkward," Katherine told her, "you got great ratings last season but nothings certain. I don't care if you hate the guy just be amicable for the sake of your job. You have that wrap party next week just get him to buy you drink or-"

"The drinks are free actually," Caroline corrected.

Katherine made sure she heard her sigh before she continued. "Then get him to order you the damn drink and have a conversation. Talk about the weather if you want. Just do something to make sure the new romance in the fourth season of Paranormal will be amazing and ten times what Norah and Cameron had. Promise me you'll try?" She asked, although there wasn't really any question about whether Caroline would be doing it or not. The two had become what they both considered friends, but that didn't change the fact that Katherine liked things to go her way. Caroline was similar in that she liked to see things through, but she trusted her publicist in matters such as things like dealing with Klaus. It was business, and that was what she dealt with best.

Caroline gave thought to the reason she'd never struck up a conversation with the man, but she couldn't come up with many reasons. He'd never seemed keen in starting one, and something about him just told Caroline to stay away. Although she knew not to judge a book by it's cover, and what the cover of magazines said about the book, she got a cold feeling from him.

"Cross my heart," the actress promised, and she could practically hear the smile make its way onto her friend's face. Her eyes drifted up to the clock that rested on her counter, and reminded chided herself for not keeping track. She'd had a bit of late start due to adding a few extra minutes of sleep after their late shoot the night before. "Have fun with those animal sacrifices," Caroline quickly added, hanging up on her.

As she moved to move her phone into her purse, stationed next to her key bowl for efficiency, she saw her phone light up with a message for Katherine. It was short and not so sweet, not that she expected much more. She was the one to hang up, liking to have the last word in things as simple as a conversation about interviews.

The thought lingered in her mind, her task to strike up a conversation with Klaus Mikaelson. She wasn't sure if talking about LA's weather was going to do the trick.

* * *

**Author's Note - Firstly I want to say thank you for trying out this little story I've decided to write. As you could probably tell it's my first TVD fanfic, so I'm still getting the characterization right (although the au setting helps). I also apologize for any spelling/grammar hiccups I made, I live a beta free life at the moment. And one let apology before I start rethinking posting this at all, I'm sorry for how short this chapter was, but I'm afraid m outline for this story doesn't allow for another scene and I didn't want to go overboard fleshing out what I'd already written. But I do promise the other chapters will be better in terms of length, consider this an introduction.**

**If you happened to like this little story let me know, and who knows, I may even get to finishing the next chapter sooner. If you like you could always tell me on my Tumblr [meaghanraths], I'm on there quite a bit. **

**xoxo Luce**


	2. Chapter 2

Two days, an episode's filming complete, and a failed conversation with Klaus later, Caroline was in the mood for a drink.

"Going straight to the hard liquor?" Stefan asked as she ordered her first drink of the night. All she did was nod, tipping back her shot and placing it back down. The cough her throat fought to release afterwards was muffled by her friend's laughter.

"I'm not in the mood for something fruity that'll barely give me a buzz," she protested, clinking her shot glass around on the counter of the bar. She knew she couldn't go crazy with the alcohol, because she knew from celebrity horror stories it was best to keep the binge drinking in your own personal apartment. The club they'd gone to was exclusive enough that they were used to celebrities, but she didn't want to take any chances. "I'm simply confirming I get a buzz very soon," she continued with a small shrug, eyeing a bottle of something deadly behind the bar. "And keeping it going," she added, estimating how many drinks would be too many.

"So who ruffled your perfect blonde feathers this week?" he asked, sipping on his own drink at a much different pace from Caroline, who was debating if a second shot was too much. "Besides me of course," he clarified.

"You've actually made the week better," she offered, dancing around the question given. "It's nice having a friend on set," she admitted, and Stefan rolled his eyes.

"Caroline, you know I love being told how much you adore me, but I think we should talk about who you _don't_ adore," he said, and Caroline's shoulders sagged in response.

"They are many people I don't adore," the blonde offered, flagging down the bartender for another drink. "Katherine for example, she's a delightful soul. If I knew having her for a manager would be this hard I would've gone with the one who thought I was Disney's next big thing," she continued to give reasons about how horrible Katherine was until she finally reached the end to the long and rambling summary of her time in LA, "but I couldn't do it without her, so I guess I'll let her sacrifice her kittens."

"Kittens?" Stefan asked, "I thought she had enough of a heart to go for the full grown cats."

"She likes them young," she retorted, her eyes narrowing as her lips widened in a smirk. The bartender finally appeared, and after ordering and consuming an array of drinks that could poison those kittens, she noticed how amused her friend was, and sputtered out "What? Itwasntthatfunny."

"Well, aside from the fact you're completely wasted, you're very insistent on not answering my question," he told her, pushing a glass away from Caroline that was lucky enough not to have been swallowed in one gulp.

This time she took her time putting together her words, and they came out much better than her previous attempt. "I'm not wasted," she started, giving each word time to be enunciated, "and I gave you an answer."

"Not the right one." Caroline's eyes narrowed further at her now tentative friend's comment, so much so they should've been renamed slits.

"This is math," she protested, and after Stefan's raised brow she fixed her wording. "This isn't math," she restated, "and my answer isn't written in stone."

"Is it history then? Because that most certainly written in-"

"Stefan, I don't want to talk about it," she butted in, glancing over at the dance floor, where a few people had managed to dance to the beat, but a much larger portion was simply swaying at a hyper pace. "I wanna dance," she proclaimed, sliding off of her stool and extending a hand to Stefan. She was expecting to be dancing in mere seconds, very well if anyone asked. She didn't want to be washed up enough to go on the show, but Dancing With The Stars had a certain appeal. And she was capable enough. But Stefan wasn't budging, depriving Caroline of one of the simpler things in life.

"It wasn't that bad Care, just say it and I'll dance," he told her, and Caroline hesitated. She knew she was being overdramatic, but she couldn't help it. "It's unhealthy to worry, and get drunk, over the slightest bump the road."

"I've had many bumps, thank you very much, but this one isn't heartbreaking, it's embarrassing!" she said, finally opening up about the small disaster, as she had mentally labeled it.

"What's embarrassing about asking a guy how the weather is?" Stefan countered, and those slits of hers turned into saucers.

"You knew exactly what happened and you made me act like a idiot?" Caroline proclaimed, hand dropping to her side in an instant.

"You're a great actress, but you weren't acting just then," Stefan told her, and maybe it was that she had quickly inhaled some hard liquor, or that the song had changed to something slower, but it sure wasn't Stefan being right that had her sliding back onto the barstool. "For your health, and not for your liver's because that's long gone," Stefan playfully jabbed, "but for your mental health, I think it's best if you just say it out loud, because trust me, it'll seem silly to you that you've been worrying about this once you do."

Again, it wasn't because Stefan was right she retold him the story, it was probably just the liquor streaming through her. Although the change of mood had sobered her up a little, she still asked for a glass of water before she began her short story.

"We were taking a break while filming outside," she began, "and I tried to start up a conversation with Klaus. I said something stupid about how the weather was nice, and then I started rambling about how I hoped it'd stay nice, but how I liked rainy days every once in a while. I think I went on for a good six minutes on how clouds were nice, and how interesting it was how they were different types. I think my description of a Cumulus could was award winning, and a very rousing conversation topic, but here's the best part. While Klaus has no problem giving his opinion to every cast and crew member, he decided I was the one exception. I went on for probably ten minutes about the weather until our break was over, and he gave me a nod and a forced smile. I mean I get that he may have not been all too interested in my cloud talk, but he could've had the decency to try. I was trying! I was fucking trying, and he gave me a nod. If he was more a Nimbus cloud type of guy he should've just told me!" Caroline sighed, waiting to hear Stefan's response.

"Well something tells me that Klaus Mikaelson is most definitely a Nimbus type of guy, but you shouldn't be worried about your conversation of clouds, it really doesn't sound like it was that bad," he assured her, and Caroline let out an indifferent sound.

"The fact that you knew about it before I told you confirms to me that it was really that bad," she said. "How did you even know about it anyway?" she asked him.

"You mentioned something about how anyone who said commenting on the weather was a good idea should rethink all life decisions in the car earlier," he informed her, "And did you not forget I was there on set? I can tell when things have gone south for you, and the way you were mentally stabbing Klaus after you spoke to him during that break was obvious to me. I put two and two together, but I didn't know the full story, with the clouds, until now." This seemed to put Caroline one step closer to at ease, but it was obvious from her tense body language wasn't quite there. "There are worse things in life than not being able to converse with your co-star," he said, and although he was trying to be assuring he had failed.

"No, there aren't! We don't know each other, it has to show on screen, and if I can't even manage one non-fictional conversation with Klaus then what hope do I had that it'll look believable?" she asked him, and he was silent for a moment.

"Having faith in the fact that you're a great actress," he answered. Caroline looked down, breaking eye contact with him.

"All the acting I've done has been with cast members who I spoke to off set. What if I'm not so much a good actress as I am a good people person?"

"You're both, and being generally great with people helps you as an actress, but it isn't the only reason you are one. You and Klaus are very believable, if I didn't know better I would think you were in love with him rather than planning his murder," he assured her, and that got a smile out of Caroline.

"Well, I'm not sure how on board with murder I am. If I started Katherine would call me a hypocritical for judging her animal sacrifices," she teased, but the joking tone was lost on Stefan. All he got was a realization.

"What did Katherine tell you?" he asked. "Because you're not a bad actress for not getting along with Klaus, you won't lose your career."

"No, I won't, but I there's a chance I could lose my job on _Paranormal_. I need to get along with Klaus for interviews and press events and panels and anything and everything under the moon that helps the show promote. People aren't exactly happy with the change in love interest, and that could lose us some viewers," she explained to him. "Katherine didn't say it made me a bad actress, that part I cooked up on my own. Katherine said it made for bad press, and a healthy relationship with the Nimbus cloud himself makes for good press."

Stefan thought this through, and although he hated to admit that Katherine was right, since she was one of his skeletons in the closet that had seen the light of day, he understood where she was coming from.

"Just don't let this become like your most previous healthy relationship with a co-star," Stefan warned, and maybe it was too soon to mention him, but it needed to be said. He was even careful not to mention Tyler's name to Caroline, since she still shaken up about it.

"It won't be," she promised, giving him a small nod, although it was clear Caroline had been taken aback. "Besides, my past co-star was more than willing to talk to me," she reminded, "see a distinct different in the two?"

He nodded, talking a small sip of what he'd been drinking for the majority of the night. Since they'd be taking a cab he didn't need to be the designated driver, but he wanted to be the person designated to be able to think properly. He didn't like Katherine, but he respected her perseverance in keeping Caroline clean of negative press. They shared a belief that not all press was a good press, and he had a feeling that his friend was going to need someone to make sure they didn't get any undesired attention after too much to drink.

"So what's your plan on attack?" he asked her, and Caroline's brow rose. "How are you going to make him speak to you?" She shrugged, and he couldn't help but laugh. "Are you saying that Caroline Forbes doesn't have a back up plan?"

"I'm saying that Caroline Forbes isn't sure how to handle someone who won't speak to her," she replied, faster and snippier than Stefan expected a drunken person to be able to do. "I'll think of something, I have time. Katherine said something about the show's wrap party, so I'm making that my deadline," she told him, sipping on her water some more.

While she went to town on the FIJI water Stefan faked a gasp. "If only your high school self could see you now," he told her, "procrastination isn't your style, Care." She gave him a small shove, and although she kept in shape Stefan was able to stay on his seat.

"Neither is talking about the weather, but it seems I've moved onto a more basic skill set," she mumbled, something else generally steered clear of. Mumbling was for the weak, and only acceptable in Tangled, according to the girl next to him who prided herself in knowing all the lyrics to each and every song in the film. He wouldn't point out the mumbling to her though, even if he mentioned that it brought her one step closer to being Rapunzel. She felt too out of character as it was, so Stefan decided to tell himself the mumbling was a product of the alcohol.

The spilled water was something unlike the mumbling, he could blame on the alcohol without having to convince himself.

"Sorry! I'm sorry!" she blurted, grabbing a nearby and probably used napkin and passing it Stefan.

He shook his head, looking at the part of his shirt that had been splashed. "Just water. Don't worry," he said, and Caroline visibly relaxed her shoulders, and while she still looked around for napkins she didn't seem as frantic. "If you're going for the basic skills you could always go for a classic move and spill a drink on him at the wrap party, offer to help him clean up," he joked, dabbing at the water with the napkin, he had decided it was clean enough.

"Are you trying to get me to hook up with him or have a casual conversation?" she asked as if she had been scandalized by his words. He rolled his eyes, and Caroline just grinned.

"Unfortunately I think the spilled drink might do more to piss him off that intrigue him to speak with the weather girl," she told him, "I hate to burst your bubble, but I must speak the truth."

"Well what would intrigue him, talk to him about that," he offered, realizing that Caroline was too discouraged to really come up with anything on her own.

"If I knew his favorite sport I wouldn't be in this situation, and I wouldn't be talking to him about clouds."

"He likes his family right, I mean they seem pretty close knit," he continued in his attempt to help out. Caroline shook her head. Family was too personal of topic. Especially when they were one of the most respectable families in Hollywood, if there was such a thing.

"Can we talk about this later?" Caroline asked, noticing the music had picked up, and finding her way out of the dead end conversation. "I said what had been bothering me, and if I remember correctly I was promised a dance in return for the information," she reminded him, extending her hand one last time.

"I don't think you can remember anything correctly after those last two shots," Stefan responded, and Caroline sighed.

"I remembered enough to earn me some dancing," she protested, and now it was Stefan's turn to take a deep and dramatized exhale. Finally, he let her take his hand, and she was pulling him out to the dance floor.

* * *

**Authors Note - I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! I've had such a busy summer and I wanted to update before I head off to San Diego for SDCC! Thank you for all the follows, favorites, and comments, and I hope you continue to like this story :) Someone asked what the pairings would be in this story and the main will obviously be Klaroline, but I also plan on having some Kennett and Stebekah. Speaking of pairings, this chapter is basically just Caroline and Stefan, and I wanted to make sure that you all know I'm that they are strictly platonic in this story, as they should but sadly won't be in the show. **

**I hope you enjoy the chapter! If you want check out my tumblr [ .com] or follow me on twitter [ LuceWrites]. And be sure to leave me comments letting me know if you like it!**


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